A Long Time Coming
by elgatoneun
Summary: A take on Ryan and Seth's relationship from different POVs. AnnaSeth, SummerSeth, MarissaRyan and SethRyan. Slash.
1. Anna POV

Title:  A Long Time Coming - Anna

Author:  elgatoneun

Rating:  PG-13 for implied slash

Pairing:  Anna/Seth, sort of Seth/Ryan

Summary:  Anna has been with Seth for a while now … she finally understands.

Disclaimer:  These characters do not belong to me.

Spoilers:  Everything up to and including The Debut.

Feedback:  Would be appreciated

Notes:  This is a slight future fic, will most likely be AU.  It takes place in the summer after Ryan's first year with the Cohens.

Anna wondered why it took her so long.  She could usually spot this kind of thing right on.  But it was Seth, and she had been hooked the minute this adorably gorgeous (gorgeously adorable?) guy walked up to her to gently tell her that her escort had bailed.  The fact that he had said "Wow" with genuine appreciation had just been icing on the cake.  She'd been disappointed that he seemed to be in lust with that skanky Summer.  Oh well, Seth couldn't be perfect.  

Oh, but he was perfect.

Anna looked down at him, she wanted to reach down and ruffle his hair, to feel that softness between her fingers.  But she stopped herself.  Seth looked up at her from his position on the couch.  She had to stand, to steel herself to do this, because she knew how close she was to crumbling, to letting things go on as before and pretending everything was fine.  The confusion and hurt on his face was killing her.  He had no idea why she was doing this and she didn't want to tell him, but she had to.  Her hand went to brush his hair off his face.  He let her, closed his eyes and leaned into her hand.  She snatched her hand back; she couldn't do this.

"Just tell me why, no, don't tell me that, tell me what I can do to fix this, I'll fix this, I promise … just tell me want you want me to do." Seth's words were full of emotion, urgent and desperate.  Anna almost hated him at that moment, for making it so hard.  He was so honest, everything he was feeling, he conveyed: on his face, in his voice, his entire body language.  That was what drew her to him; the honesty, that essential realness that stood out like a beacon in this sea of plastic people with their fake smiles and air kisses.  

But it wasn't true.  Seth told her the biggest lie of all.  He didn't love her.  His smiles, his kisses – they belonged to someone else.  The fact that he didn't know it didn't diminish that.  Did he really not know?  Anna searched his face for some sign of it, was there a shadow, something to indicate that he was hiding it, his real feelings?  Had she been played the whole time?

"Anna, you promised me Tahiti, remember?  I gave up several hot babes, um, one really hot, um, okay, many lonely nights of serious Grand Theft Auto and Splinter Cell for you."  Puppy dog eyes.  Seth has irresistible puppy dog eyes.  The ones you can't say no to, even though you know the little mongrels are going to pee everywhere and chew up your shoes.  But then they look up at you and nuzzle their soft, wet noses into your palm.  They lick you until you smell like dog and you don't care because you already love the damn things … those puppies should be shot.  Anna had to smile a little.  Seth would be horrified to know she compared him to a puppy.  He'd pretend not to be, but he'd have this mortified, offended little expression where his forehead would sort of crease up.  And then she'd have to tease him out of it.

"I'll be your love slave."  Seth said solemnly, as solemn as someone could actually be uttering that sentence.  She laughed.  Damn, he was such an opportunist.  He wasn't above manipulation to get what he wanted.  He used it on her, he used it on his parents, he used it on Ryan …  

"Look, Seth, we had a good thing, but we've gone as far as we can."  She pulled her hand away, hadn't even noticed Seth taking it.  She looked at his hands.  Capable, caring hands.  Hands that had held her while they waltzed, gently leading her so that she wouldn't make a complete fool out of herself in front of Newport's elite society.  So rich and self absorbed they published their own glossy society pages that masqueraded as a community lifestyle magazine – Orange Coast, please.  But it hadn't really mattered, because Seth told her funny stories about everybody, where to go for the best fish tacos and how to choose the most secluded spots on the beach.  All the while, his hands had been guiding her, slight pressure to signal a change in direction, a light squeeze to reassure her.

"I love you, Claude, come on, you don't want to do this."  He pulled her down to the couch, almost on top of him.  Her back was to his chest, his hand rubbing circles on her shoulders.  Coaxing her, calling her Claude.  Anna Claude Stern, her middle name, the name she inherited from her grandfather.  A name that for some unfathomable reason she had told Seth.  It had become his endearment for her.  As stupid and corny as it was, it made her feel special, cherished.  

Seth was good at that – making people feel cherished.  Like on Valentine's Day weekend, he had presented her with two tickets to Pittsburgh.  Everything had already been packed, planned and arranged beforehand with her parents.  Her friends had picked them up from the airport.  Seth had charmed her friends and went with her to all her favorite hangouts.  The whole weekend had been a blast and she hadn't even realized how much she had missed it.  She knew then that she really loved funny, adorable, insecure Seth Cohen.  She had been as blissfully happy as a brash, cynical city girl could be.  

She felt soft kisses at the nape of her neck and heard murmurs of promises.  Seth was pulling out the big guns now.  She leaned back and felt herself weakening.  

Then she heard high-pitched giggling and the stomping of unwelcome feet.  Great.  Marissa and Ryan almost fell into the room.  Luckily (or not so luckily), Ryan grabbed Marissa before she dove headfirst into the coffee table.  They flopped onto the couch beside them.  

"Hey guys, we're going to be late."  Marissa leaned in against both of them.  Wonderful, she was already wasted.

"Come on, it's the first party of the summer."

Anna thinks she can feel Ryan reach over and touch her boyfriend.  Grip his arm firmly, concerned.  A thousand words transmitted by touch.

"Hey, you guys okay?"  Ryan doesn't talk much.  All his words seem to be for Seth … or Marissa.  

"Yeah dude, we'll catch up with you later."  Seth reassured him.  

An uncomfortable silence descended, enough so that even Marissa seemed to sense it.  She started to get up but fidgeted around some.  Anna couldn't see it, but she knew it was happening.  Seth and Ryan communicating through their eyes, their bodies.  Whole conversations have taken place this way.  She hates it.  She doesn't know how Marissa stands it.  She looked out the corner of her eyes to see Marissa standing now, staring out the window, arms crossed, hugging herself as she waited.  Waited for her boyfriend to finish eye-fucking Anna's boyfriend.

She stood up abruptly and turned around to see Seth repositioning himself, Ryan leaning over, almost on top of him.  She never knew she could feel so much hate and jealousy.  It burned, it really did, as if she could shoot fire from her very eyes and incinerate Ryan on the spot.  

It hadn't always been like this.  She and Seth had become official right after Valentine's.  She had waited out his stupid Summer crush and his awkward first stage maneuvering.  It was really lame, but it's true what they say.  After she and Seth got together, she had wanted to spend all her time with him.  It was like that at first, Anna and Seth at the movies, Anna and Seth at the Cove, Anna and Seth at the ComicCon in San Diego.  Except it became Anna and Seth and Ryan and Marissa at lame ass parties, at school activities, monthly high society charity events and on and on.  They couldn't even be at his house without Ryan and Marissa converging on them.  Or to be fair, they seemed to converge on Ryan and Marissa sometimes, too.

It hadn't bothered her.  Marissa was okay, reminded her a little of Seth sometimes.  Ryan was quiet but seemed to make Seth happy and everything was fine, if a little monotonous.  Then she started noticing things.  Like the way they had to consult each other whenever all four of them went out.  But it was always silent.  A moment of Ryan's gaze meeting Seth's.  Dude, you wanna go?  Yeah, it could be cool.  Okay.  And then they would jet or not jet.  She had thought is was cute, like they were really brothers.  Until she realized brothers didn't really act like that.  Or the way they always seemed to know where the other one was in a room.  It was like they were on each other's radar or something.

She wanted to talk to Marissa, but she was scared it might break the other girl.  She had become so fragile in the past year.  So she resigned herself to the fact that Seth and Ryan had a very close relationship.  She could deal.  Except she couldn't, not when Ryan knew and she really knew and Seth didn't.

It had been some random night during Spring Break.  Some genius had scheduled it right before midterms so that they couldn't even enjoy it.  The four of them had been taking a study break.  Marissa and Seth had been trying to smash each other to bits.  Each of them concentrating so hard, she thought one of the controllers would break.  They were both whooping and promising bloody retribution.  She had just come from the kitchen to get a drink and she saw Ryan.  He was lounging behind them, touching both of them.  His right hand was lightly holding Marissa's braid and brushing the ends against her neck, tickling her.  His left hand was gently twirling a wavy curl behind Seth's ear through his fingertips, as if he were testing its silky softness.  She must have made a sound or something because Ryan had looked up at her then.  He wasn't smiling or smirking, but he was sending her a message.  He didn't stop touching Seth or Marissa.  He was claiming them, looking at her calmly, letting her know, willing her to accept it.

A triumphant cry from Seth broke their eye contact.  Marissa threw the controller playfully at Seth and blew him a raspberry while he continued to crow gleefully in victory.

"Your girlfriend's a sore loser, buddy."

"Hey!  Ryan was distracting me."  Marissa protested.

Seth shook his head and clicked his tongue at her like an old woman.  

"Now that's just sad."  Seth dodged Marissa's arm as she made to smack him a good one.  Ryan looked at both of them indulgently, petting them both, as if they were two small children squabbling to get their favorite uncle's attention.  

Anna had cleared her throat loudly, unwilling to watch this slightly creepy scene progress any further.

"Ah, there's my girl, and with drink to quench the thirst of the conquering hero."  Seth really said the most absurd things sometimes.  They had spent the rest of the night watching movies and playing video games.  All their studying ended up being crammed into Sunday night, procrastination at its best.  

So that had been the first time she had noticed Ryan's inclinations towards Seth.  There wasn't anything really blatant, but an undercurrent was always present, a touch here, a lingering look there, nothing that couldn't be excused under the guise of a really close friendship.  She had wanted Seth so much, that she told herself it didn't matter if Ryan had more than brotherly feelings for his not quite brother.  As long as Seth didn't return them she could be mature about it.           

But then she realized that it wasn't just Ryan.  Seth touched him just a little too much, the way he constantly enveloped Ryan in those enthusiastic bear hugs, how he leaned in a little too closely while whispering something to him and how Seth's smile always got just a little bit brighter when Ryan bestowed one of his rare smiles.      

"Seth, we just aren't …" she trailed off, resentment surging wildly within her at the fact that Ryan couldn't even give them this.  She looked at him then, pinned him with a glare full of bitterness.

He looked back at her silently, as if asking her not to do it.  Asking her not to hurt Seth.  

She looked down then.

"We'll wait outside for you."  Ryan ushered Marissa outside.

"You heard them, we can't miss the first party of the summer.  Let's go."  He used his fake, cheery confident voice, the one that sometimes cracked, because Seth Cohen is not an actor.  He can't hide his feelings.

He got up and did that funny half Cabbage Patch, half swervy goofy dance move and gallantly held out his arm to her.  Like he did at her Cotillion.  Pressure built behind her eyes.  She furiously wiped away a stray tear that fell on her cheek.

"Seth, you don't love me.  And I can't be with someone who's going to pretend – "

"Of course I love you, what are you talking about?"  Seth looked genuinely perplexed.

"No, you don't.  Who's the first person you think about in the mornings?  Who was the first person you told about Barcelona?  Who's always the first person you go to?  I know it's not me."

Seth had an exasperated expression on his face.     

"Anna, he's my best friend.  My parents are his legal guardians, we're bro – "  

 "He's not your brother!  He's just some guy that lives with you and eats your parents' food."  Anger at his avoidance of the question and the fact that he didn't deny it made her vicious.

"You're obsessed with him.  You can barely pay attention to anyone else when he's in the room," she continued, almost relieved at finally being able to have it out.  

"You're serious about this, I can't believe you're serious about this …," Seth threw his hands up in the air, "Okay, you got it.  Ryan is persona non grata.  He'll be the invisible boy.  I won't even pass him the cereal at breakfast."   

"Don't make this a joke."

"I'm not joking, Anna, I don't even …" Seth stopped abruptly.  A guilty flush swept over his face, "Right after Saturday, I promise, Ryan won't exist, I swear …"

Anna turned her back, ready to go.  It was hopeless.  She felt arms grab her and turn her around.  Seth turned her face up gently towards his.

"It's just, he's going to visit his brother in prison, and I didn't want … he shouldn't go alone.  I mean, he hasn't seen him in over a year, you know?"  Seth pleaded for understanding.

"Why do you have to go?" she demanded.

 "I'm all he has, Anna."  He looked at her a little reproachfully.  

"No, you're not.  It's exactly the opposite.  Ryan has his soccer buddies, he has Marissa … who do you have?" she yelled at him.

"I thought I had you," he said softly, brokenly.  Seth moved his head to the side, tilted down at an angle.  It was something he always did when he felt particularly at a loss, as if he wanted to be anywhere else than where he was.  It always seemed like it was a slow motion reaction to a slap.  He let her go.

"Well, I thought I had you, too.  Looks like we were both wrong."  She was tired.  There wasn't any more fight in her.  Seth sat down on the edge of the coffee table, head in his hands, a picture of sad resignation.    

She turned and walked out of the house.  She saw the burning tip of a cigarette and a shadowy silhouette leaning against a pillar … Ryan.

"Congratulations, he's all yours."  She didn't slow down as she walked past him.


	2. Sandy POV

Title:  A Long Time Coming - Sandy

Author:  elgatoneun

Rating:  PG-13 for implied slash

Pairing:  Implied Seth/Ryan

Summary:  Sandy overhears the boys talking.

Disclaimer:  These characters do not belong to me.

Spoilers:  Everything up to and including The Outsider.

Feedback:  Would be appreciated

Notes:  This is a slight future fic, will most likely be AU.  It takes places in the summer after Ryan's first year with the Cohens.  This is the second part of a multi-chapter fic and is set two weeks after the first one.  Thanks for all the kind reviews for the first chapter.

Sandy Cohen was an unabashed eavesdropper.  It was a trait that had helped him countless times through the years.  Growing up as a skinny kid with a big mouth in the Bronx hadn't always been an easy thing.  Sometimes the most important thing to ensuring survival had been knowing when and when not to enter a room.  And so, it has become an ingrained habit, just a small pause here and there, to make sure he's not going to walk in on an awkward moment.  

In the kitchen, just beyond Sandy's range of sight, Seth and Ryan were conversing.  They might not be having an awkward moment, but it would not be comfortable for him to walk in just now.  As it is, he'll wait a bit for a more properly timed entrance and listen in a little to hear his cue.

"I don't know.  I think my mom really wants me to go."

"Well, do what you think is right for you, man."

"But then, I'm not sure, like, if my mom really wants me to go or if she just wants me to want to go.  "

Sandy heard the clinking of plates or glasses as Ryan started to speak.

"Hey, wipe that up.  I can't believe she drinks that stuff.  That's what I call unconditional love."

"What?  Oh this, yeah well, Bloodless Marys are my special way of saying I care."

"Care for what?  Man, that's disgusting, what is in that?"  Sandy heard the high-pitched whirring sound of their state of the art blender.

"Um, tomato juice, a little egg white, wheat germ and ginger.  Then just a squeeze of lemon and a little Tabasco, and there you have it.  The special Seth Cohen Bloodless Mary, patent pending." 

Sandy grimaced.  He'd never gotten up the courage to ask what exactly was in those things.  

"Does she actually like that stuff?"  

"Nah, she hates it.  But she drinks it."

"Why?"  Ryan was clearly baffled.  

"It's our thing.  I go to all the trouble of making it so she drinks it."

There was a long pause, that answer was clearly not going to suffice for Ryan.  Seth sighed.

"She hates it, I know she hates it, and she knows I know she hates it, but she drinks it because the juicer and the blender are the only kitchen appliances that I've been able to master.  She drinks it, demonstrating the depth her love for me, the sacrifices she's willing to make for her child.  Dude, we're Cohens.  We're complicated and deep like that."

"Okay.  So are you really going to go?"

"I don't know.  But, I think she might want me to go, she's always talking about how traveling broadens your horizons."

Sandy couldn't see it, but he knew Seth had used air quotes.  Kirsten did worry occasionally about how sheltered Seth seemed for a boy his age.  Sandy was concerned more with how to deal with the real world outside of Newport while Kirsten fretted about Seth's limited exposure to art and culture.

"I don't know.  It might be good to get away.  Go to Barcelona and immerse myself in the language and Spanish culture.  Who knows, some lovely senorita might take pity on a lonely American tourist like me.  She could be drawn to my understated good looks and awkward, boyish charm."

Ryan did not respond.  Seth huffed; he might have been slightly offended.

"Look, it's a great opportunity and it's going to look killer on my college apps."  Sandy thought it strange that Seth seemed so defensive about going, almost as if he were trying to convince himself it was a good idea.

"That's great, Seth.  But what about all the … stuff you'll miss here?"

"You mean like making out with my beautiful girlfriend, cruising all the best parties, oh, wait, that's not my life, that's yours.  Let's see, will I miss hanging out by myself at the Spectrum, watching the Lord of the Rings trilogy, again?  Hm, yeah, I'm thinking not so much."

"It won't be that bad."  Slight pause.  "Summer's been asking about you."

"Right.  Because she's just been playing hard to get for about the last four years or so.  And finally my masterful seduction has come to fruition."

Sandy heard a series of small popping sounds and a delicious scent wafted towards him.  Ah, bacon.  Ryan was pretty good at frying things up.  Bacon, burgers, grilled cheese sandwiches, his cholesterol level had gone up quite a bit and his doctor has been getting on his case to watch his fat intake.  He hated being one of the aged.

"Look, I just don't think you should let this thing with Anna get to you so much."  Ryan sounded irritated.  Sandy didn't think that was like him, however, Seth had been moping to the extreme, so much that even Kirsten's patience was worn thin.

"Dude, the love of my life just dumped me, for, like, no good reason.  I think I'm entitled to a little wallowing here."  

"Well, you can wallow here instead of Spain, can't you?  I mean, you do it so well."

Sandy stifled a laugh.  Ryan could be a wiseass sometimes; he just didn't notice it as much since that seemed to be Seth's particular specialty.

"Very funny."  Sandy had thought so.  This was what he had wanted for Seth – a friend, a brother, someone real who brought out the best in his smart but introverted son.  The fact that Ryan was a part of the family now made it even better.  Every now and then, Sandy forgot that Ryan hadn't always been with them.

It had been tough those first few months.  Ryan seemed a wild animal, not ferocious, but so wary and cautious, it had been almost heartbreaking to watch.  He had been painfully polite, as if at any moment, his world would again be turned upside down and he would be abandoned.  But gradually, he had opened up, let himself be taken in.      
  


Sandy remembered the first time he had noticed Ryan's acceptance of them as family. 

They had just come back from the Black and White ball that Kirsten had helped organize to benefit the Oak Grove Children's Home. He had told the boys to give Kirsten "mad props" for the fabulous job she'd done.  Ryan had smirked at him.  Seth had rolled his eyes at him and asked him to never say that again.  Then they had shared an amused look, as if to say, 'Parents are so lame'.  

He had watched them with a big grin on his face as they made their way to the living room to play video games, grabbing the necessary accoutrements of soda, popcorn and sour candy belts.

"Ready to get your ass kicked again?"  Ryan had teased.

"Are you talking to me?  You must be talking to me, cuz, I don't see anybody else.  And there will be the total kicking of the ass, but it'll be your ass that will be feeling the pain, my friend.  Horrible, humiliating, excruciating ass-pain.  Yes, tonight, you and ass-pain will become one."  

"Gah!"  Seth had received a candy belt smack to the cheek.  Ryan was a very physical boy.  

That special camaraderie was what had been missing from Seth's life before Ryan.  That they had showed it in their mutual disdain of his attempt at hip lingo was just a small cross to bear.  He couldn't help it if certain expressions popped into his vocabulary every now and then.  He spent the majority of his time with teenagers, after all.

Sandy heard the cracking of eggs against a bowl.  Mm, maybe he could get some eggs over easy.  He decided to make his entrance.

"Dude, what do you and Marissa talk about after sex?"

Sandy froze.  All noises except for the sizzling of bacon ceased.  

"What?" was Ryan's choked reply.

Sandy turned around and headed back to the alcove, out of sight of the kitchen entrance.

"Well, like I said I've been wondering why she dumped me – "

"And that's what she told you?"  There was a long pause.

"No, but what she said doesn't really make sense.  I mean, unless she's just obsessively jealous or has a complex or something."

Funny, she hadn't seemed that way to Sandy.

"Really?  She didn't seem like the type."  Slight pause.  "But, you never know.  Chicks are weird."

"Yeah, so I figured she might have said one thing, you know, when it was really something else, and like, maybe she's just waiting for me to figure it out.  Then I can just grovel and beg for forgiveness and we'd be cool again."

"Just apologize then and figure it out later.  It's been two weeks.  Your window of opportunity is almost gone."

"I tried.  She blocked me.  Phone number, e-mail, IM, everything.  It'll have to be face time, but then, I need to sound like I know what the problem was … or is."

"Um, maybe I don't want to know, but … so where does the sex part come in?"

"Okay, so when you and Marissa, you know, afterwards, what do you do?  Do you talk?  Do you cuddle?  Do you leave?  Seriously."

"Well, we talk a little, I tell her I love her.  I ask her how she's feeling.  She tells me.  Then we go downstairs and watch TV.  What do you guys do?"

"Hm, actually she usually wants to go to sleep.  So I go home or I go downstairs and get something to eat.  Aren't girls supposed to want to talk?"  

"I don't know.  Maybe she's just not a talker.  Uh, I mean an after sex talker."

Sandy almost jumped when he felt a hand touch his shoulder.  He turned his head to see Kirsten smiling at him.  She was used to him lurking about in corners and doorways.

"So what are we listening to today?"  She asked teasingly.  

Sometimes Sandy was truly struck by how blessed he was, this was one of those times.  He turned around, embraced his lovely wife and kissed her thoroughly.  Even after almost twenty years of marriage, she had the power to knock him straight down to his knees, sometimes literally.

She ended the kiss with a little laugh.

"What was that for?"  Sandy gave her a sheepish grin.

She pursed her lips at him, craftily discerning that he'd been up to a bit of snooping.  Her face lit up all of a sudden.

"Ooh, it's bacon day."  Kirsten walked past him into the kitchen.  Sandy decided to follow.  

He walked in on Ryan holding the spatula, grease dripping on the floor, surprise written all over his face.

"She said I was the reason?"  Ryan seemed defensive.

"Good morning boys!"  Kirsten greeted them in a chipper voice.  She didn't falter at their less than welcoming expressions.  She could be somewhat single minded when it came to breakfast.  She picked up her plate and started loading it with bacon and eggs.

Sandy watched Ryan's eyebrows crinkle at Seth.  Seth shrugged his eyebrows back in response.  It seemed as if they would continue their conversation later.  He didn't know how they communicated in eyebrow language.  When he was younger, he used to practice intimidating facial expressions in the mirror, using his significantly heavy brows for emphasis.  Well, that is until his sister caught him at it one day and told him they looked like two fat, hairy caterpillars were doing the mambo on his face.

Kirsten started to pour herself some orange juice.  

"Oh, hey mom.  Just a sec.  Ryan might have cooked everything, but I made something, too."  Seth's gleaming smile brought a slight frown to Kirsten's face.  She seemed to brace herself.  She looked down at the glass of slightly brownish-red liquid that her son placed in front of her with a flourish.  She swallowed thickly.

"Oh, um … thank you, honey."  Sandy saw the boys exchange wickedly amused grins.    

Sandy had an answering grin.  Poor Kirsten.  It was wiped away when Seth presented him with a similar glass.

"I made one for you too, dad."  This time he heard Ryan's low semi-contained laughter and registered his son's devilish glee.

"Thanks, Seth.  But I can't have raw eggs, you know, not good for me."  He didn't graduate from law school without learning a thing or two.

"But there aren't any."  Seth gave him an innocently blank look.

"I …" Sandy sputtered.  Seth gave him a measuring look and cocked an eyebrow at him.  Damn, he was caught.  He took the glass.

"Can I have a chaser?"  Sandy's request was met by open laughter from all three members of his family.  Diversionary tactics, it was one of the basic maneuvers in the standard lawyer repertoire.

"So, Seth, have you thought about Barcelona?"  Sandy surreptitiously set his glass down.

"I think I want to go."  Kirsten beamed.

She started babbling excitedly to Seth about the Las Ramblas and the beauty of the Cathedral.  

Sandy saw unnamed emotion flicker on Ryan's face.  It must have been a trick of the lighting, after all, there was no reason for Ryan to look devastated.

He started visualizing all the tantalizing prospects of having the house to themselves for the next two months.  Seth was such a good son.  


	3. Trey POV

Title:  A Long Time Coming - Trey

Author:  elgatoneun

Rating:  R for graphic language and implied m/m sexual relations

Pairing:  Implied Seth/Ryan

Summary:  Ryan visits his brother in prison.  Seth goes with him.

Disclaimer:  These characters do not belong to me.

Spoilers:  Everything up to and including The Girlfriend.

Feedback:  Would be appreciated

Notes:  This is a slight future fic, will most likely be AU.  It takes places in the summer after Ryan's first year with the Cohens.  This is the third part of a multi-chapter fic.  It actually takes place temporally between the first and second chapter but is third in the series.

Clink.  Clink.  Clink.

The chains between his ankles were dragging noisily.  It was cold and the corridor stank.  It was a combination of mildew and the chemical industrial cleanser they used.  That shit was strong.  It had burned and peeled layers off his skin the first couple of weeks he had been here.  

The guard prodded him along, not roughly but forceful all the same.  Ramos wasn't that bad.  He was one of the decent guards.  Not like some of the sadistic bastards roaming around here.

They got to the first security gate, double locks.  Click.  Click.  The heavy gate of the barred door slid open. 

Trey Atwood has never made this trek before.  He's never had visitors in the year and two months that he has been here.  He was surprised when he was told that his little brother was coming to see him.

He's had a lot of time to think, about the past and about the future.  He's tried to imagine all the things he could have done differently.  His outcome doesn't change much.  He knew since he was fourteen years old that he'd probably end up in the joint, or at least doing some time.  It sucked, but with a father like his, it was pretty much his fate.  His fate, but not Ryan's.  Ryan was too smart for that, too good for it.  He used to resent that.  Having his little brother helping him with his homework when they were kids.  They'd be sitting at the kitchen table, his mom washing up the dinner dishes and his dad watching a game in the living room.  It hadn't been so bad then.

Then his father had gotten laid off at the plant.  Four months later they moved.  That was the first in a series of moves.  How many schools had he gone to in those five years?  It was a blur.  He had never done very well in school.  He had always struggled.  The constant moving just let him get further and further behind, until he had basically given up.  Not Ryan though, at least, not until their last move.  Not until Chino.  He'd always been real smart, a target for other kids.  But Trey watched out for his little brother and taught him how to take care of himself, that's what big brothers did.

But Ryan didn't need him.  He hadn't really ever needed anyone, not since that one night.  The night they learned their dad had been picked up by the cops.  

He felt another prod at his shoulder.  Ramos was gesturing to a chair at one of the visitation booths.  He sat down.  It was small and it was just like how it was on TV.  There were half partitions on each side to give the illusion of privacy.  He was separated from his visitor by thick glass and they would have to talk through telephone receivers.  

He had never had visitors.  His friends weren't going to get anywhere near a prison unless they had to.  Well, a couple of them were already in lock up.  Rusty had already been here for six months when he'd first transferred here.  And forget his mom, she'd given up on him a long time ago.  Hell, she'd kicked him out of the house when he was sixteen.  

Trey saw Ryan then, saw him enter the room with another boy.  They were talking; Ryan hadn't seen him yet.  Ryan looked the same, but different.  He wore different clothes, rich clothes, and he walked differently.  The other boy nudged him toward the booths.  Ryan looked at him then.  His expression gave nothing away.

Trey watched as his brother sat down.  Ryan had grown up some.  He looked like a man now.  Ryan picked up the phone; Trey did the same.

"Hey," was the first static-laden word he had heard from his brother in over a year.

"Hey.  How you been?  You look good."  Trey felt nervous for some reason.  Ryan didn't answer him right away.

"I'm okay.  How about you?  You doing okay … in there?"  

"Yeah.  Uh, so you seen Mom at all?"

"No."

"Well, I heard Pop's doing okay up in …"

"I don't care what he's been doing."  Ryan interrupted.  Yup, same old Ryan, unforgiving and hard.  Stubborn, too.

Silence stretched between them.  He looked at his little brother.  Felt the accusation burning up Ryan from the inside.  It was always this way.  Mad at him for fucking up.  But, Ryan was always golden.  He didn't understand that people fucked up.  And in their family, people fucked up a lot. 

Ryan always expected too much.  Wanted too much.  The thing was he never let it out, never told you so.  It was always this heavy silent judgment.  His eyes filled with disappointment.  He knew his mom and dad felt it too.  It was weird when they were kids and Ryan always acted more like the parent or the older brother.  

It was hard knowing that you couldn't live up to his expectations.  There would be mornings when he would stumble home in the mornings and breakfast would be on the table.  Ryan cooking up eggs and whatever else they had to make something decent.  He'd wolf down whatever it was because he couldn't cook worth shit.  He'd see his mom walk in the kitchen, already with a morning cigarette.  She'd look at Ryan and her face would harden just a bit.  Trey saw it and he knew Ryan saw it.  But Ryan never understood.  It took Trey a while to work it out, but again, when you've got nothing to do but think, you dwell on the past and try to figure stuff out.  For being such a smart kid, Ryan never got it.  He never understood her.

Every time Ryan got up and did his own laundry or cooked breakfast made their mom feel more like a failure.  Trey knew Ryan just wanted to help out.  His brother always thought that if he could just help their mom out a little, she could get herself back on track.  He didn't realize that she was just one of those women that needed to be needed.  That was just how she was, why she shacked up with all those losers.  Because she needed someone to take care of, even if he treated her like shit.         

"So that family that adopted you, they treating you okay?"  Ryan looked surprised, and a little suspicious.

"How do you know about that?"

"That lawyer's wife, the mom, she writes to me about you, about once a month.  She tells me what you've been doing.  She said you have a girlfriend and that you're on the soccer team."  Ryan relaxed a little bit.

"Yeah.  They're good people."

"So you talked to anybody?"  Ryan gave him a blank look.

"You know, Junior, Marko or Lupe?  Anybody?"  Ryan shook his head no.

Trey didn't know why he was surprised.  But he was.

"You should call Lupe.  She wrote to me once … about you.  Wanted to know how you were doing.  Where you were.  Shit like that."  Lupe had been into Ryan.  Trey didn't know how Ryan felt about her.  He and Junior used to dog Ryan about it all the time.  Well, Junior used to threaten, since nobody messed with Junior's baby sister.    

"Yeah, maybe."  Trey knew Ryan wasn't going to call.  Ryan had always held himself apart.  He wasn't tight with anybody.  Never let anybody get close.

"You know Rusty is in here?  Eight to ten for robbery, parole in five, maybe.  Didn't I always tell you he was a dumb shit?  I fucking told him he should've pleaded and he would have gotten reduced, but he never listens.  He said Jerry got shot a couple months ago, got his kneecap bust in some kind of police shootout.  Jerry hooked himself up with a good lawyer and got $600 grand from the county.  Lucky bastard."

"That's cool."  Ryan was starting to piss him off.  It usually took two people to have a decent conversation.  He didn't know why Ryan came if he wasn't going to talk.

"So how come you haven't come to see me before?"    

"I wrote to you, you never wrote back.  I figured you didn't want to see me."  Ryan shrugged as if it didn't matter.

"We're family, for fuck's sake, of course I want to see you.  Christ, if you're pissed off at me, just have the balls to say it, but don't fucking say stupid ass shit like that."

"Okay.  I'm not mad.  I just didn't think you'd want to see me.  It's not like we were going to see a lot of each other anyway."  Ryan looked at him, carefully controlled expression on his face.

Shit.  He couldn't believe Ryan was still pissed off about Chicago.  

"Look, Ryan, I had a hookup.  It was my chance, okay?  And I would have sent for you as soon as I got my shit together.  I told you that."

"Trey, I'm not mad.  You needed to do what was right for you.  You had an opportunity.  I get it."

His brother had the perfect poker face except for the eyes.  Even now they were hard and flinty.  Ryan turned his head suddenly.  Trey looked up to see the kid that had come in with Ryan head on over to them.  Ryan must have been looking at him from the reflection on the glass to notice him so quickly.

The kid jogged up to them, he was bouncy and fidgety.  Trey got annoyed just looking at him.  He leaned down to Ryan and said something in Ryan's ear.  He was leaning in really close.

Ryan used his left hand to cover the mouthpiece.  The kid said something else.  Ryan shook his head no.  His hair was actually touching the kid's face, that's how fucking close he was.  The kid kept talking; Trey never saw anybody's mouth move that fast before.  Him and Ryan used to beat up kids like that.  

The kid turned to look at him and smiled.  Ryan turned back to Trey, too.  But he didn't smile.  Trey was confused.  The kid was talking to him.  But he couldn't hear a damn thing; Ryan put the phone back up to his ear.

"His name is Beth?"  That's all he could make out.  Ryan laughed.  The kid turned to Ryan, curious.  That was different, Ryan didn't laugh, at least not that he remembered.

"No, Seth.  His name is Seth."  Ryan was smiling.  He cuffed the kid affectionately on the shoulder.  

"Is he the son?"

"Yeah, I thought you said you knew."  Ryan gave him a suspicious look, as if he thought Trey might have lied to him earlier.

"Oh, well, the lady, Mrs. Cohen, she just writes about you."  Trey figured she felt like she had to tell him about Ryan, but didn't want some con to know anything about her family.  Probably felt safer that way.  She was right, it was the smart thing to do.

Trey glanced up.  The kid was still smiling.  He looked like a real friendly sort.  He said something else Trey couldn't understand.  He didn't read lips; he wasn't fucking deaf.  Trey looked at the gangly brown-haired kid who stuck his hand out then, as if offering to shake … through the fucking plate glass between them.  He stared at the kid hard.  The kid pulled his hand back.  Trey turned his attention back to Ryan.

"Tell him to stop fucking smiling at everything.  This ain't the fucking petting zoo."

"Be cool, Trey."  Ryan turned to the kid and said something.  The kid nodded solemnly and left to stand by the exit.  He pulled a comic out of his pocket and began to read.  They definitely used to beat up kids like that.

"So, he give you a ride here or something?"

"Yeah, but he wanted to come.  He wanted to meet you."  

"What the hell for?"  Fucking rich kids got nothing but time to waste.  

"He's my friend."  Ryan said the words slowly, cautiously, as if he were testing them out.  

"And anyway, I'm taking him to Ashes for lunch."  Motherfucker.  Trey immediately pictured huge, delicious slabs of ribs with meat so tender it practically jumped off the bone.  He hadn't been to Ashes since fucking forever it seemed like.  Damn.

Ashes was the best thing about living in Chino.  It was the absolute best barbeque joint in the Inland Empire, maybe the state.  The sign on the door said "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, we'll fill your belly 'til it goes bust."  And it was true.  Everything was huge; they cooked the meat on grills and spits outside.  They had big ass onion rings that could fit around your neck.  Shit, he was getting hungry.  And kind of horny.  Fuck.  Ashes was always the best place to test drive new chicks.  The good ones sucked the meat right off the bones, with a lot of tongue action that made him feel it all the way down to his balls.  With the good ones, he was hard halfway through dinner.  And he knew it wasn't going to go nowhere if a girl just picked at the food, trying to use a fork all girly and shit.  In fact, he made it a point to share his Ashes test with Ryan, had told him that's how you knew you had a winner.

But he didn't take his friends there.  It was a little pricey.  Green got spent on your ride, your woman or business.  Friends could eat cheap.  Ryan usually didn't take his friends there either.  Not because Ryan was tight, but because Ryan didn't have close buds.

"You're taking him to Ashes?"  Ryan looked defensive.  

If there was one thing Trey knew, it was that Ryan didn't make friends.  Not like that anyway.  That had always been his problem.  He held himself off, like he was too good for everybody.  Junior and his crew never really took him in.  Ryan was a cold bastard.  He only ever watched, observed, as if he was one of those fucking scientists studying wild animals on those nature shows.  He was too much of a loner, in the truest sense of the word.  Because Ryan didn't trust anybody.  He took a closer look at Ryan, looked at his closed face and hard expression.  Aw, shit.    

"Ryan, you listen to me.  You got a good thing, don't fuck it up."

"I'm not going to …" Ryan looked startled and sounded resentful.

"Don't bullshit me.  Didn't I teach you anything?"

"Yeah, how not to boost a car."

Smart-ass little shit.

"Listen to me, Ryan.  You don't shit where you eat.  You got that?"

"Yeah, thanks for the nice visual."

"Goddammit!  You keep your fucking dick in your pants and your hands off."

"Shit! Trey!  Keep your voice down!  The whole damn prison can hear you."  Ryan glanced worriedly at the kid.      

"You think his parents are going to keep you around when they find out you're fucking him?  You think his mama is going to thank you that?  What the fuck were you thinking?  Answer me, goddammit!"  Ryan fixed him with a steely gaze.  Trey waited him out.  Ryan finally sighed.

"Look, I'm not, I'm not … fucking him, okay?"  Ryan's face scrunched up as if he found the whole thing distasteful.  Jesus, his baby brother was turning into a pussy.

Trey took another look at the rich kid.  He was tall and skinny, average body, wouldn't last one minute on the inside.  But he was pretty and delicate.  Shit, he had cock sucking lips.  And he had the perfect length hair, where you could just grab hold and start … 

"Trey? Trey!"  Ryan was banging on the window with his fist.  He looked pretty pissed off.  

"Alright, alright, don't get all worked up about it."

"Since when do we even talk about this kind of stuff?" 

"I've been locked up with 500 guys for 14 months.  When the hell you think?" he broke off at Ryan's stricken expression.  This time Trey sighed.

"Look, it's not so bad, it's just different.  So I can appreciate the nice piece you got over there, but – "

Ryan interrupted him, "Don't talk about him like that." 

"Fine.  Look, you got a lucky break.  That family taking you in like that, what is that, like a million to one, or something?"  

Ryan looked at him mutely.

"This is your one chance.  The only fucking Atwood to get one.  Don't fuck it up because of some rich kid who is gonna toss you out the next day like the fucking trash."

"Seth isn't like that.  The whole situation isn't like that.  The Cohen's, they're really good to me.  They take care of me."  

"Ryan, you take a look at that boy.  Take a good look.  Do you think that kid is going to love you, that you're not just some kind of charity case?  Some kind of experiment?  That type of people, they're different.  They don't think like you and me.  You aren't a real person to them."  Trey knew Ryan didn't want to listen.  

"They're not like that.  They treat me like … like family, like I matter.  Seth wouldn't ever do that to me."  Trey shot him a penetrating look.  He never saw that look on Ryan's face before.  Totally open, totally vulnerable.  Shit, it was too late already.  Fuck.  As much as Ryan pissed him off, he didn't want to see his little brother get hurt.  And all he saw was heartache and pain in Ryan's future, if he ever ended up having a future.

"Are you sure?"  Ryan didn't look at him.

"Yes …, no …, I don't know, maybe."  Ryan hadn't changed that much.  Still didn't trust.  Which was good in this case.

"Ryan, he's just a kid.  He's playing around.  When it's over, where are you gonna go?"  Trey needed to make sure Ryan didn't mess up his one way out of a shitty life going nowhere.  It was the least he could do for his brother.

"Okay, maybe he really does like you.  And maybe it would be good for a while.  But he's from a totally different place.  You can't tell me you fit in over there."  He had to make Ryan see sense.  

Ryan didn't argue.

"Look, be his friend, his brother, whatever.  But don't mess around with him.  That's just gonna fuck everything up.  You're fucking seventeen.  You want to fuck everything that moves.  Just keep it in your pants.  Get an education and get a real future out of this deal.  Then you can fuck whoever the hell you want.  Just keep cool for now."

"Is that it?"  Ryan asked coolly, as if Trey had been talking about nothing.  Fuck, no wonder Ryan got into so many fights.  He had a natural talent at pissing people off.

"Just think about it, okay?  You're supposed to be the smart one."

Trey felt a poke from behind.  It was Ramos.  His time was up.  He looked back at Ryan.

"I gotta go."  Ryan was silent for a long time.  Trey gave up.  He started to get up.  Ryan's voice stopped him.

"Hey, Trey?"

"Yeah?"

"Uh, make sure you ask the guard for your ten."

"What?"  Trey was confused.

"I, well, Seth, um, the both of us, we brought you some packs.  Seth watched these old prison movies and said we should bring you some.  He smuggled them in and bribed the guard.  Ten Marlboros, ten Lucky Strikes and two Dunhills, in case anybody likes the fancy stuff.  We'll bring you some more next time."

Trey was touched.  Smokes.  It was as good as money.  Ryan was a good brother.

"Next time?"  Trey didn't want to hope.  

Ryan ducked his head a little.

"Yeah, if you want."  The words came out mumbled and rushed.  Trey felt a rush of happiness and something else settle in his chest.  He took an unsteady breath.

"Yeah, that would be cool."  

He smiled at his little brother.  

And his little brother smiled back.  


	4. Summer POV

Title:  A Long Time Coming - Summer

Author:  elgatoneun

Rating:  PG-13 for slash and language

Pairing:  Implied Seth/Ryan, Seth/Summer, Ryan/Marissa

Summary:  Ryan and Seth up for sale … another themed charity auction.

Disclaimer:  These characters do not belong to me.

Spoilers:  Everything up to and including The Escape.

Feedback:  Would be appreciated

Notes:  This is a future fic, AU.  It takes place in their senior year of high school which means Ryan has been with the Cohens for about a year and a half.  Thanks to my lovely beta Z for all her insight and encouragement.  Any mistakes still evident can be rightfully blamed on the author.

"Cohen, get your ass out here.  You should be ready by now."  There was absolute silence.

Summer Roberts didn't deal with this shit from anybody.  Well, anybody else.

"No, I'm not coming out of this closet.  I'm staying in the closet.  Um, I mean I am not coming out – ever.  I mean, I'm not … I'm staying in here.  You should bring me some food and other essentials.  So I won't starve and die and you won't get sent to prison for being responsible for my horrible drawn out death."

She tapped her foot impatiently, counting to ten internally.  He was such a drama queen.  Oh, forget this, she pulled open the door.  She slapped a hand on his chest and dragged him out by the strings on his corset/bustier thing.  Seth stumbled a bit.

She pushed him up to the mirror and eyed him over critically.

The black stiletto heels added three inches to his height and made his legs look longer.  Which was dead sexy.  He had great legs.  They were toned from all his skateboarding and currently encased in black fishnet stockings.  

He also wore black leather underwear, the top of which didn't quite meet the bottom of his corresponding half halter, half corset top.  It left a nice expanse of tanned waist bare.  

A dry cough caught her attention.

"Are you finished inspecting the merchandise now?"  Seth asked her bitingly.

"No, turn around."  Seth gave her a mutinous look.

Okay.  Summer knew when not to push it.  She took stock of his face.  He had smudged his lipstick a little.  Thank God his eyes were still okay.  He had whined so much when she was putting on his eyeliner, she'd almost been tempted to poke him in the eye.  Guys were such babies.  She'd never heard so much complaining in her life.  Girls went through this everyday.  Did guys think glossy lips and perfect hair just happened naturally?

"I'm not doing this and you can't make me."  Seth crossed his arms over his chest.

She fixed him with a steely gaze.  

"Don't make me make you, Cohen.  It won't be pretty," she threatened.  Seth looked a little intimidated but stubbornly held his ground.

Summer narrowed her eyes.  Cohen was always a tough nut to crack.  

She smiled beguilingly and trailed a French manicured nail slowly down his chest.  It was one of her more effective techniques.  

"Think of all the cute little kittens and puppies we'll be saving from a horrible life on the streets.  You don't want to be responsible for letting them down, do you?"  She pushed her lower lip out into a pout and looked up at him from beneath her lashes.  

Seth smiled down at her and placed his hand over the one that was still resting on his chest.  Then he took her hand and dropped it off his person.  He tilted his head and continued smiling down at her in that smug self-satisfied way that always made her want to smack him sideways from Sunday.

"It's called survival of the fittest; who am I to go around messing with nature's plan?"

"You'll need to concentrate on your slim-to-none chances for survival if you flake out on me now.  You promised me, Cohen."  She was ready to commit serious bodily injury.  Seth threw his hands up in surrender.  It was nice to know that she could always use his inherent sense of integrity to bully him into doing what was right, or maybe it was his fear of her, whatever worked.

"But this?  Come on, Summer.  You've got to let me be somebody else.  Anybody else.  Preferably someone who isn't a crossing dressing freak."  Seth's begging sounded a lot like his whining.  This corset is too tight, I can't breathe, I'll break a leg in these heels, blah, blah, blah.  

"There's nobody else to do this guy.  You have to represent The Rocky Whore Show."

"That's The Rocky Horror Picture Show.  How important can it be if you can't even get the name right?  I can be Wolverine or Neo."  Summer looked at him disparagingly.

"No offense, but … no way."  Seth looked desperate.  His face suddenly lit up.  

"Tom Hanks.  I could be Tom Hanks, in any movie.  I could be the castaway, all you have to do is rip up some clothes."  Summer mulled it over for a bit, well actually she pretended to mull it over for a bit.

"No," she said flatly.  She was through with this nonsense.

"Look, this is the last event before the Homecoming dance.  Holly's stupid adopt-a-bear grams brought in $900.  I'm going to annihilate her.  You're fourth in the line-up; you're going to have to bring the bidding up after Kevin Hamm.  There's no way that guy is going to top $50.  So you've got to show some skin, get the money flowing."  

"Holly sold $900 worth of those Indonesian child labor made, carnival-reject teddy bears?  The lumpy ones?  They were going for $10.  Who would even buy those?  I think there were nails in there or something.  I mean …" Seth was abruptly cut off when Summer forcefully grabbed his jaw, chin in the cradle of her palm, thumb and forefinger on each cheek.  She squeezed hard until his lips involuntarily puckered.

"Focus.  Now listen to me.  You are going to go out, no, you're going to strut and shake and turn.  Okay?  Then you're going to smile and use whatever god-given talents you have to get as much money as you possibly can from anyone you possibly can.  I don't care if you have to do unspeakable things or get bought by some freaky losers.  I don't care if Mia Tasser wins, even if she did sleep with Sean last year, or if Keely wins when she can't even spell her last name.  But there is no way in hell, I'm going to let that bitch, Holly, win this.  Got that?"   

Seth nodded his head up and down slowly.  It was hard since Summer still held on to his face.  She grabbed the MAC lipstick in her purse and held it out to Seth.  He took the tube of Harlot from her.  She smiled and patted him on the cheek.  

"Now go and fix your lips, remember to blot."  

She walked back to check-in desk.  Summer looked back and watched as Seth wobbled and grabbed the edge of the mirror to keep from falling.  Hm, she should have had him practice walking in the heels a little more.   

She nervously checked her clipboard.  Summer wasn't really a planning sort of girl; she was more of a plan to be there sort of girl.  But getting nominated (along with Marissa) as a candidate for Homecoming Queen could make anybody do things they normally didn't.  She didn't kid herself that she might win, stupid as it sounded, she really was glad just to be nominated.    

But if she couldn't win, she at least wanted her best friend to win.  Even if Marissa's stock had taken a nosedive after her dad, the incident in TJ and hooking up with the poster boy for Trailer Life.  Even now, when her friend stuck with most of the work for their event.  Since each of the Homecoming Court needed to host a fundraiser, she had begged the Mr. Trask to let her and Marissa hold a joint event, with points to be split in half between the two of them.  Despite the time and the therapy, Marissa has never fully recovered.  She's still broken.  Sometimes, she wished she could do something about it, like take Marissa back to the store and get a new model, an upgrade, one that worked.  At times, it made Summer so angry, that she'd want to shake her, until Marissa woke up from whatever dreamland she was in.  

But she can't do that.  It was no use.  It's better to try and make everything normal, back to the way it was, when she and Marissa were the top of the food chain and Holly knew her place.  Luckily, Holly wasn't that smart and smelled a little too desperate.  Parties every week can only get you so far.  And after all the fakeness, she really wasn't very nice.  Surprisingly, that mattered to people.  Well, not to her.  Summer has never been nice.  It wasn't her thing and people didn't expect that of her.  

In all the stupid little teen movies, the most popular girl is always a bona fide bitch.  But that wasn't realistic.  Very often the popular girls were made up of grade A Prime bitch material, but the most popular girl, the lead one, she's actually really nice, sweet even.  Why she surrounds herself with bitches is a mystery.  But that's how it really was.

Although, if this event blows up in her face, she really will kick Marissa's ass for dumping all the work on her.  She hates it when people are late.  Well, when other people are late.  

Finally.  She spotted Ryan and Marissa at the door; she waved them over.  Ryan looked hot.  The only thing he was missing was the bullwhip.

"Okay, Indiana Jones, check.  Now I just have to check up on Hannibal Lector and the Gladiator."

"Someone's dressing up as Hannibal Lector?"

"Yeah, they're going to wheel him out and he's going to be all strapped and everything.  It's Kevin, thank god his face is covered."  Marissa gave a shocked little laugh.

"Summer, he's not that bad.  Be nice."  

"Coop, what planet are you from?  That kid is going to ruin …" Summer let the rest of what she was going to say drift off.  The expressions on Marissa and Ryan's faces were absolutely priceless.  She smiled.  They must have spotted Seth.  

The price of a two-piece black leather S&M fantasy outfit:  $249.00.  One tube of MAC lipstick: $22.00.  Having your best friend and her boyfriend seeing your date looking completely fuckable in said outfit: priceless.

"Hey, guys."  Seth gave a little wave.  He was obviously uncomfortable by the scrutiny.  

"Hey," Marissa fixedly kept her eyes on Seth's face.  Ryan wasn't as disciplined.  Summer noted his eyes taking everything in greedily.  God, he was so freaking obvious.  

Summer hooked an arm around Seth; let her hand rest on his thigh.  Ryan's eyes narrowed and his whole body tensed.  She loved it.

"So how do you like my creation?"  Summer fingered the little garter strap on Seth's leg.  She pulled at it and let it snap back on his skin.  Seth gave a little yelp.  He looked at her accusingly and rubbed the abused spot.  Ryan's eyes were glued to the motion.  

"Wow, it's pretty extreme."  Marissa was a master of saying something that meant nothing.

"Well, you know, anything for charity."  Seth said, somewhat embarrassed.  He didn't ever quite meet Ryan's gaze.

Summer saw Kevin being wheeled toward the stage.  Shit, he was going up already.  Seth had to be ready.

"Oh my God, you're almost up.  Hurry up.  Get up there."  She pushed Seth towards the runway.  

At the mouth of the stage she did a last minute check on him.  She looked at his face, bit her lip at the uncertainty in his eyes.  He looked miserable.  It made her want to jump him.  So she did the next best thing and licked his collarbone.  He swallowed audibly.

Then she whispered in his ear.

"You look so hot.  Go out there and make them beg."  She gave him a little bite on his earlobe.  Now he looked suitably sexed up and ready.  Mission accomplished.

Kevin surprised her by actually bringing in $80.  But Seth was going to bring down the house.  She watched him walk down the runway, totally confident.  Sex on a stick.  

She felt eyes prickling at the back of her neck.  She turned around to find Ryan.  Alone.  Marissa must have gone off somewhere.  Those two were usually glued together like Siamese twins.   

She knew he didn't really like her.  He just tolerated her because of Seth and Marissa.  

"What?" she asked, annoyed.  What was his problem?

"It took Seth a long time to get over you last time.  Don't play with him again."  Ryan warned quietly.

"Are you, like, threatening me?"

He didn't answer, which basically answered her question.  

"Look, Chino, what I do or don't do with Seth, is none of your business.  He's a big boy.  He can take care of himself."  Summer smiled evilly.  "That's something I know personally … do you?"

Ryan's jaw clenched unpleasantly.  He slouched a little, crookedly, one shoulder higher than the other.  It was one of his patented poses and vaguely threatening.  

People don't usually credit Summer with being observant.  And truthfully, she's not.  Except with people that matter to her.  Marissa and Seth being two of them.  Since Ryan matters to them, Ryan matters to her too.  She's picked up the thing between Seth and Ryan, or what would be the thing if either of them would acknowledge it.  

She didn't like provoking these actions, well, okay, that was a total lie.  She did like it, a lot when she did it to Ryan.  He was all tough silent seething or suffering; she didn't really get him.        

"Seth just got over Anna.  I don't want him to get hurt."  Summer was annoyed.  She didn't like feeling guilty.  It was true that her initial interest in Seth had been not quite sincere, but she was tired of hanging out with a bunch of fake kiss-ups.  She missed her best friend and if that meant she had to team up with the head of the dork brigade, then she'd do it.  But Seth was actually pretty appealing.  Downright yummy sometimes.  And he made her laugh and he argued with her.  And, okay, she liked him.  She liked him and she liked liked him.  So the best thing was to get this whole stupid Ryan thing out in the open so they could deal with it.  

"I don't want him to get hurt either," she said seriously.

Ryan scoffed at that.  She didn't know he could scoff.  That kind of pissed her off.

"I don't.  Besides, I'm not the one hurting him right now."  

Ryan unclenched his fists and took a step toward her.  Summer raised an eyebrow at that.

"You and your friends treated him like dirt.  You never took the time to get to know him.  You don't deserve him."  Summer was dismayed that Ryan actually spoke the truth.  It made her feel guilty.

"Well, you can thank your girlfriend for that one," she shot back.  She felt a little smug at his surprise and confusion.  Then she felt guilty again, damn it.

"Look, it wasn't anything intentional.  It just happened, and you know how Seth is."  

"Summer, what are you talking about?"  She thought Ryan was supposed to be smart.  Marissa sure knew how to pick them.  Luke had been as bright as a box of rocks.  Right now, Ryan didn't seem much different.

"You know Marissa and I have been friends, like, forever, right?  And she's lived next door to Seth for like most of her life.  Didn't it seem a little weird that they barely even spoke to each other, especially since their parents are so chummy?"  

Ryan didn't answer.  He nodded at her to continue.

"Okay, so like, Seth has major geek tendencies, but stuff like that isn't important when you're little and don't know any better.  Don't you think they might have played together and stuff?"

Ryan shrugged, "Maybe, a little," he admitted.

Summer sighed and put her hands on her hips.

"How long were you here before you heard about Marissa's dad and Mrs. Cohen, and how they like had this big romance thing back in the day?"

Ryan didn't say anything, but she could see the light was starting to dawn on him.

"Coop's mom was always kind of distant and they fought a lot.  Coop used to tell me about it.  Do you really think she was going to get all friendly with the kid of the woman who could blow her family apart?  And the rest of us kind of followed.  I mean, Coop is my best friend.  We didn't mean to make him … whatever, but then he went all nerdy and it just seemed kind of natural."  

"What about now?"  Ryan asked intensely.  He always seemed intense to Summer.

"Hello?  Her parents are already divorced?"  Definitely not that bright.

Ryan relaxed a little.  His gaze seemed to penetrate her.  He gave her a lopsided grin, like he knew all her secrets.  She didn't like that.

She was suddenly enveloped in hug.  Seth had come up from behind and was draped over her.  He laughed in her ear.  Damn!  She missed the whole thing.  She gave Ryan the evil eye.    

"Can you believe it?  I can't believe it.  I'm a God.  People want me.  I'm a wanted man.  People will pay to have me."  

Summer turned around, grouchy because she had missed it.    

"I didn't hear the final bid.  What was it?"  Seth's mouth went into a pout.  

"It was $350.  Tracy and Todd bought me."  Summer was delighted.

"The Granger twins?  Ooh, pretty kinky."  Seth had a huge grin on his face.  

"That's cool, man."  Ryan was still there.

"Oh, hey, thanks.  Aren't you supposed to be up next?"  Summer turned a horrified glance to Ryan.

"Get out there.  God, doesn't anybody pay attention to the program?"  She fumed as Ryan slowly sauntered towards the stage.  He gave them a brief enigmatic look before he went out to the catcalls of the crowd.

"Summer?  What did you do?  Summer …" Seth's voice was low and a little gravelly.  He said her name the way her dad used to, when she was little and used to hide his keys, making him late for work.

She used her innocent look on him.

"Nothing, we were just talking."

"Summer …" Seth wasn't buying it.  

She led him back to one of the dressing rooms.  Seth didn't protest.  They found an empty one.  Seth sat down on the chair.  She grabbed some cotton pads and makeup remover from the counter.

She leaned over to dab at his face.  His hand came up to grip her arm.

"Summer, what did you say to Ryan?"

"I told you, it was nothing."  He didn't let go of her arm.

"We just talked about you a little, okay?  Close your eyes."  Seth let go of her arm and she gently removed the eye makeup from his lids.

"He's so possessive when it comes to you.  Why don't you guys just get it over with?  I mean, come on, put the fire out already."  

"Summer, you don't know what you're talking about.  You're just babbling."  Summer snorted.  Seth was accusing her of babbling?

"No way, when Ryan saw you tonight, I swear he was going to push you into the nearest closet and have his wicked way with you.  Keep your eyes closed.  I'm not finished."

"Summer, it's not what you think.  Ryan's not interested in me like that.  We're just really close."

"Please.  Cohen, I'm not blind.  He puts out serious vibes whenever you're around.  Trust me, the boy wants you.  Wants you bad."

"Look, Summer.  I know he doesn't.  Trust me, I've tried okay?  Can we just leave it at that?"  Seth's voice was tinged with misery and heartache.  Summer wanted to put Ryan Atwood in a world of pain.

She cupped Seth's face gently in her hands.

"Oh, baby.  I'm sorry."  She kissed him.  He kissed her back.  

His tongue slipped into her mouth.  He'd gotten really talented.  Her knees started to buckle and she fell into his lap.  She swallowed the little "Oomph" from his lips on the impact.  

She bit his lip a little and pulled.  They both started when they heard someone clearing their throat.  They looked up to see a boy and a girl with amused expressions on their faces.  They were both gorgeous.

"We've come to pick up our purchase." Todd and his sister had slight British accents.  It was unbelievably sexy.

"I'm just getting cleaned up a little," Seth was interrupted.

"No, I think we like you tarted up a bit."  Tracy flashed them a cool smile.  Summer felt a little growly.  Grrr.  

She got off Seth and let them take him out.  Keeping him to herself was going to be a challenge.  But she was always up for a good fight.  She smiled.  This was going to be a fun year.


End file.
